Ránder.Ránder (Ráhanjir or Rahanjúr). Al Bírúni (a.d. 1031) gives[152] Ráhanjúr and Báhrúj (Broach) as the capitals of Lar Desh or south Gujarát. Elliot (Note 3. I. 61) writes the word Damanhúr or Dahanhúr but the reading given by Sachau in his Arabic text of Al Bírúni (page 100 chapter 18) is plainly Rahanjúr (رہنجور) and the place intended is without doubt Ránder on the right bank of the Tápti opposite Surat. In his list of Indian towns Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) seems to refer[153] to it under the forms Jandúr and Sandúr.
Sanján.Sanján (Sindán). The two Sanjáns, one in Kachh the other in Thána, complicate the references to Sindán. Sindán in Kachh was one of the earliest gains of Islám in India. Al Biláduri[154] (a.d. 892) speaks of Fazl, the son of Máhán, in the reign of the greatest of the Abbási Khalífáhs Al-Mámún (a.d. 813–833), taking Sindán and sending Al Mámún the rare present of “an elephant and the longest and largest sáj or turban or teak spar ever seen.” Fazl built an assembly mosque that was spared by the Hindus on their recapture of the town. Ibni Khurdádbah (a.d. 912) includes this Kachh Sindán with Broach and other places in Gujarát among the cities of Sindh. In his itinerary starting from Bakkar, he places Sindán seventy-two miles[155] (18 farsakhs) from Kol. Al Masúdi (a.d. 915–944) states that Indian emeralds from (the Kachh) Sindán and the neighbourhood of Kambáyat (Cambay) approached those of the first water in the intensity of their green and in brilliance. As they found a market in Makkah they were called Makkan emeralds.[156] Al Istakhri (a.d. 951) under cities of Hind places the Konkan Sindán five days from Surabáya (Surabára or Surat) and as many from Saimúr[157]
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350. (Chewal). Ibni Haukal (a.d. 968) mentions (the Kachh) Sindán among the cities of Hind, which have a large Musalmán population and a Jámá Masjid[158] or assembly mosque. Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031)[159] in his itinerary from Debal in Sindh places the Kokan 200 miles (50 farsakhs) from that port and between Broach and Supára. At the end of the eleventh century probably the Kachh Sindán was a large commercial town rich both in exports and imports with an intelligent and warlike, industrious, and rich population. Al Idrísi gives the situation of the Konkan Sindán as a mile and a half from the sea and five days from Saimúr (Cheval).[160] Apparently Abul Fida[161] (a.d. 1324) confused Sindán with Sindábúr or Goa which Ibni Batúta (a.d. 1340) rightly describes as an island.[162]
Port or Coast Towns.
Sindábúr or Sindápúr.Sindábúr or Sindápúr. Al Masúdi (a.d. 943) places Sindápúr he writes it Sindábúra or Goa in the country of the Bughara (Balhára) in India.[163] Al Bírúni (a.d. 1021) places Sindápúr or Sindábúr that is Goa as the first of coast towns in Malabár the next being Fáknúr.[164] Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) describes Sindábúr as a commercial town with fine buildings and rich bazaars in a great gulf where ships cast anchor, four days along the coast[165] from Thána.
Somnáth.Somnáth. Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031) is the first of the Arab writers to notice Somnáth. He calls Somnáth and Kachh the capital of the Bawárij pirates who commit their depredations in boats called baira.[166] He places Somnáth (14 farsakhs) fifty-six miles from Debal or Karáchi 200 miles (50 farsakhs) from Anhilwára and 180 miles (60 yojánas) from Broach. He notes that the river Sarsút falls into the sea an arrow-shot from the town. He speaks of Somnáth as an important place of Hindu worship and as a centre of pilgrimage from all parts of India. He tells of votaries and pilgrims performing the last stage of their journey crawling on their sides or on their ankles, never touching the sacred ground with the soles of their feet, even progressing on their heads.[167] Al Bírúni gives[168] the legendary origin of the Somnáth idol: how the moon loved the daughters of Prajápati; how his surpassing love for one of them the fair Rohini kindled the jealousy of her slighted sisters; how their angry sire punished the partiality of the moon by pronouncing a curse which caused the pallor of leprosy to overspread his face; how the penitent moon sued for forgiveness to the saint and how the saint unable to recall his curse showed him the way of salvation by the worship of the Liṅgam; how he set up and called the Moon-Lord a stone which[169] for ages had lain on the sea shore less than three miles to the west of the mouth of the Sarasvatí, and to the east of the site of the golden castle of Bárwi (Verával) the residence of Básúdeo and near the scene of his death and of the destruction of his people the Yádavas. The waxing and the waning of the moon caused the flood that hid the Liṅgam and the ebb that showed it and proved that the Moon was its servant who bathed it regularly. Al Bírúni notices[170] that in his time the castellated walls and other fortifications round the temple were not more than a hundred
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Port or Coast Towns.
Somnáth. years old. Al Bírúni represents the upper part of the Liṅgam as hung with massive and bejewelled gold chains. These chains together with the upper half of the idol were, he observes, carried away by the Emir[171] Mahmúd to Ghazna, where a part of the idol was used to form one of the steps of the Assembly Mosque and the other part was left to lie with Chakra Swám, the Thánesar idol, in the maidán or hippodrome of Mahmúd’s capital. Somnáth, says Al Bírúni,[172] was the greatest of the Liṅgams worshipped in India where in the countries to the south-west of Sindh the worship of these emblems abounds. A jar of Ganges water and a basket of Kashmir flowers were brought daily to Somnáth. Its worshippers believed the stone to possess the power of curing all diseases, and the mariners and the wanderers over the deep between Sofálá and China addressed their prayers to it as their patron deity.[173] Ibni Asír[174] (a.d. 1121) gives a detailed account of the temple of Somnáth and its ancient grandeur. He says Somnáth was the greatest of all the idols of Hind. Pilgrims by the hundred thousand met at the temple especially at the times of eclipses and believed that the ebb and flow of the tide was the homage paid by the sea to the god. Everything of the most precious was brought to Somnáth and the temple was endowed with more than 10,000 villages. Jewels of incalculable value were stored in the temple and to wash the idol water from the sacred stream of the Ganga was brought every day over a distance of two hundred farsangs (1200 miles). A thousand Bráhmans were on duty every day in the temple, three hundred and fifty singers and dancers performed before the image, and three hundred barbers shaved the pilgrims who intended to pay their devotions at the shrine. Every one of these servants had a settled allowance. The temple of Somnáth was built upon fifty pillars of teakwood covered with lead. The idol, which did not appear to be sculptured,[175] stood three cubits out of the ground and had a girth of three cubits. The idol was by itself in a dark chamber lighted by most exquisitely jewelled chandeliers. Near the idol was a chain of gold to which bells were hung weighing 200 mans. The chain was shaken at certain intervals during the night that the bells might rouse fresh parties of worshipping Bráhmans. The treasury containing many gold and silver idols, with doors hung with curtains set with valuable jewels, was near the chamber of the idol. The worth of what was found in the temple exceeded two millions of dínárs (Rs. 1,00,00,000). According to Ibni Asír Mahmúd reached Somnáth on a Thursday in the middle of Zilkaáda H. 414 (a.d. December 1023). On the approach of Mahmúd Bhím the ruler of Anhilváḍ fled abandoning his capital and took refuge in a fort to prepare for war. From Anhilváḍ Mahmúd started for Somnáth taking several forts with images which, Ibni Asír says, were the heralds
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Port or Coast Towns.
Somnáth. or chamberlains of Somnáth. Resuming his march he crossed a desert with little water. Here he was encountered by an army of 20,000 fighting men under chiefs who had determined not to submit to the invader. These forces were defeated and put to flight by a detachment sent against them by Mahmúd. Mahmúd himself marched to Dabalwárah a place said by Ibni Asír to be two days journey from Somnáth. When he reached Somnáth Mahmúd beheld a strong fortress whose base was washed by the waves of the sea. The assault began on the next day Friday. During nearly two days of hard fighting the invaders seemed doomed to defeat. On the third the Musalmáns drove the Hindus from the town to the temple. A terrible carnage took place at the temple-gate. Those of the defenders that survived took themselves to the sea in boats but were overtaken and some slain and the rest drowned.[176]
Supára.Supára (Subárá, Sufára, or Surbáráh.)—The references to Subárá are doubtful as some seem to belong to Surabára the Tápti mouth and others to Sopára six miles north of Bassein. The first Arab reference to Subára belongs to Sopára. Al Masúdi’s (a.d. 915)[177] reference is that in Saimúr (Cheval), Subára (Sopára), and Tána (Thána) the people speak the Láriyáh language, so called from the sea which washes the coast. On this coast Al Istakhri (a.d. 951)[178] refers to Subára that is apparently to Surabára or Surat a city of Hind, four days from Kambáyah (Cambay).[179]
Ibni Haukal (a.d. 968–976) mentions[180] Surbárah apparently the Tápti mouth or Surat as one of the cities of Hind four farsakhs, correctly days, from Kambáyah and two miles (half farsakh) from the sea. From Surbára to Sindán, perhaps the Kachh Sanján, he makes ten days. Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031) makes Subára perhaps the Thána Sopára six days’ journey from Debal[181] (perhaps Diu). Al Idrísi (a.d. 1100) mentions Subára apparently Sopára as a town in the second climate, a mile and a half from the sea and five days (an excessive allowance) from Sindán. It was a populous busy town, one of the entrepôts of India and a pearl fishery. Near Subára he places Bára, a small island with a growth of cactus and cocoanut trees.[182]
Surábára.Surábára. See Supára.
Capitals.
Thána.Thána (Tána).—That Thána was known to the Arabs in pre-Islám times is shown by one of the first Musalmán expeditions to the coast of India being directed against it. As early as the reign of the second Khalifah Umar Ibnal Khattáb (a.d. 634–643; H. 13–23) mention is made[183] of Usmán, Umar’s governor of Umán (the Persian Gulf) and Bahrein,
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Capitals.
Thána. sending a successful expedition against Thána. Al Masúdi (a.d. 943) refers to Thána on the shore of the Lárwi sea or Indian Ocean, as one of the coast towns in which the Lárwi language is spoken.[184] Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031) gives[185] the distance from Mahrat Desh (the Marátha country) to the Konkan “with its capital Tána on the sea-shore” as 100 miles (25 farsakhs) and locates the Lár Desh (south Gujarát) capitals of Báhrûj and Rahanjur (Broach and Ránder) to the east of Thána. He places Thána with Somnáth Konkan and Kambáya in Gujarát and notices that from Thána the Lár country begins. Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) describes[186] Thána as a pretty town upon a great gulf where vessels anchor and from where they set sail. He gives the distance from Sindábur (or Goa) to Thána as four days’ sail. From the neighbourhood of Thána he says the kana or bamboo and the tabáshír or bamboo pith are transported to the east and west.[187]
Vála or Valabhi.Baráda (Porbandar).—Of the Arab attacks on the great sea-port Vala or Valabhi, twenty miles west of Bhávnagar, during the eighth and ninth centuries details are given Above pages 94–96. The manner of writing the name of the city attacked leaves it doubtful whether Balaba that is Valabhi or Baráda near Porbandar is meant. But the importance of the town destroyed and the agreement in dates with other accounts leaves little doubt that the reference is to Valabhi.[188]
In the fourth year of his reign about a.d. 758 the Khalífah Jaâfar-al-Mansúr[189] (a.d. 754–775) the second ruler of the house of Abbás appointed Hishám governor of Sindh. Hishám despatched a fleet to the coast of Barádah, which may generally be read Balabha, under the command of Amru bin Jamál Taghlabi. Tabari (a.d. 838–932) and Ibni Asír (a.d. 1160–1232)[190] state that another expedition was sent to this coast in a.h. 160 (a.d. 776) in which though the Arabs succeeded in taking the town, disease thinned the ranks of the party stationed to garrison the port, a thousand of them died, and the remaining troops while returning to their country were shipwrecked on the coast of Persia. This he adds deterred
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Capitals.
Vála or Valabhi. Al Mahdi[191] (a.d. 775–785) the succeeding Khalífah from extending the eastern limits of his empire. Besides against Balaba the Sindhi Arabs sent a fleet against Kandhár apparently, though somewhat doubtfully,[192] the town of that name to the north of Broach where they destroyed a temple or budd and built a mosque. Al Bírúni[193] (a.d. 1030) writing of the Valabhi era describes the city of Balabah بلبہ as nearly thirty jauzhans (yojanas) that is ninety miles to the south of Anhilvára. In another passage[194] he describes how the Bánia Ránka sued for and obtained the aid of an Arab fleet from the Arab lord of Mansúrah (built a.d. 750) for the destruction of Balaba. A land grant by a Valabhi chief remains as late as a.d. 766. For this reason and as the invaders of that expedition fled panic-struck by sickness Valabhi seems to have continued as a place of consequence if the expedition of a.d. 830 against Bala king of the east refers to the final attack on Valabhi an identification which is supported by a Jain authority which places the final overthrow of Valabhi at 888 Samvat that is a.d. 830.[195]